Tiltable bed lamp



April 6, 1954 c[ R. MYRE TILTABLE BED LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24, 1950 IN VE N T O R CLIFF'ORD R. MYRE qdazfl! ATTORNEYS April 6, 1954 I C, M: 2,673,988

TILTABLE BED LAMP Filed July 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J 44 32 5.11%; 35 1140 1mm 21 "mm if v I W+fgwd 24 l6a I6b I 4 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES i TENT OFFICE TILTABLE BED LAMP Clifford R. Myre, Paynesville, Minn. Application July 24, 1950, Serial No. 175,560

ting posture. And further included in such a bed IS an end-frame at the head thereof having a frame-rail above the level of the mattress.

An object of my invention is to provide for a the lamp is kept from shining directly into the eyes of the person occupying the bed.

with the adjacent end-frame of the bed for selfadjustment of the lamp structure to suit the reading comfort of the occupant of the bed in he various positions into which he may be shifted upon adjustment of said back-rest.

Briefly, the herein disclosed embodiment of my invention includes a clamp for attachment to the end-rail of the back-rest of a bed and standard carrying at its upper end an electric lamp and shade therefor. A tension spring interposed between said pivot element and bedplate tends to tilt the standard from a first position substantially at right angles to said backrest to a second position biased headwards of the back-rest. Said standard is lengthwise adjustable relative to the pivot-element and is adapted to abut at the lower end thereof against said bedplate to establish said second biased position of the standard. Said standard is adapted intermediately thereof to bear slidably against the elevated frame-rail of the end-frame at the head of the bed during the final stage in the lowering of the back-rest into its fiatwise position and during the corresponding initial stage in the raising of said back-rest. Thus bearing slidably against the frame-rail during the final stage in the lowering 0: the back-rest, the standard is r tilted by said frame-rail against the action 01' said spring progressively footwards from its said second position relative to the back-rest to its said first position substantially at right angles theretol And thus bearing slidably against. said frame-rail in the initial stage in the raising of under restraint set up by said frame-rail, from said first position thereof relative to the back--, rest toward its said second position relative thereto. At the last of the initial stage in the raising its said second position relative to the back-rest until re-engaged with said frame-rail at the beginning of said final stage in the lowering of said back-rest. Said standard being thus swung into said tilted positions thereof relative to the backrest in various tilted positions of said back-rest,

not strike his eyes. Said standard may be tilted footwards from said first or second positions thereof relative to the back-rest or from any position therebetween for temporarily supplying light along the body of the occupant of the bed for the convenience of an attendant. And said standard may be so tilted accidentally or caprithe spring tending to swing the standard into its said second position tilted headwards relative to the back-rest, said spring is provided with a slidable connection with the bed-plate which moves footwards as the standard is tilted footwards from its said first position at right angles to said back-rest. Said slidable connection in such footwards movement thereof travels from a point removed headwards from the pivotal axis of the pivot-element to a point substantially coincident with said axis and said connection retraces its said footwards travel when the standard is swung back headwards into its said first position relative to theback-rest again to render second position thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a lamp structure constructed in embodiment of my in- 4 extend beneath the top flange W vention and applied to a bed of the type conventionally used in hospitals.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view in lamp structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken as on 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view in detail showing the bedplate and the lower portion of the standard pivoted thereto.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that I have shown fragmentarily in Fig. l a bed A of conventional form commonly used in hospitals, the same having at the head thereof a tiltable back-rest ||l constituting a part of the usual mattress-supporting element H which is carried on rails l2 supported by endframes at the head and foot of the bed. Fig. 1 shows end-frame l3 at the head of the bed A, said end-frame having the usual elevated head-piece in the form of a top-rail l4. conventionally, the back-rest I includes side-rails l and an end-rail it of angle iron, said side rails being hinged to the main part ll of the mattress-supporting element H by means of pivot pins H3. The back-rests in I hospital-type beds are tilted in different ways to adjust the same and they are secured in their various tilted positions of adjustment in various detail of the the line manners, all well known to those familiar with the art. In the present drawings, I have shown more or less diagrammatically a linkage system l9 of a kind commonly operated by a crank (not shown) located at the foot of the bed for adjustably tilting the back-rest It more or less to raise or lower the same as may be desired. Fig. 1 shows the back-rest |l in solid lines positioned flatwise at the lower limit of its movement. In dotted lines, said Fig. 1 shows said back-rest, It) at position C approximating its upper limit of movement, said back-rest l9 being additionally shown in dotted lines at two of its intermediate ,positions between its flatwise position and said position C thereof. The illustrated embodiment of my invention in lamp structures for beds of the type mentioned includes a mounting D adapted to be attached to the end-rail N5 of the back-rest l3 and an elongated support or standard E hinged at its lower end to said mounting D and carrying at 'its upper end an electric lamp 29 and shade 2| therefor.

The mounting D consists of a clamp-block 22 and a bed-plate 23 carried thereby, said clampblock 22 preferably being a casting including a body portion 22 adapted to rest on the top flange l6 of the end-rail |B of the back-rest H). A jaw member 22 depending from the body portion 22 of said clamp-block 22 bears against the outer face of the depending flange |6 of said end-rail l6, and in opposition to said jaw memlugs 22 also depending from 22 of said clamp-block 22. Threaded in these lugs 22 are screws 24 which of the endrail l6 and bear against the inner face of said depending flange l6 of said end-rail. These screws 24 and said jaw member 22 of the clampblock 22 grip said flange l9 from opposite sides thereof and firmly secure said clamp-block 22 to said end rail IS.

The bed-plate 23 is desirably of sheet metal and it is formed with downturned side flanges 25 which overlie the ends of the body portion 22 of the clamp-block 22. Screws 26 extend receives the lower portion of one of the 4 through apertures 21 selected from series thereof formed in said flanges 25 of the bed-plate 23 and these screws 26 are screwed into threaded bores 28 in the ends of the body portion 22 of said clamp-block 22 to secure the bed-plate 23 to The feature involving the 21 in the series thereof employed provides for adjustment of the bed-plate 23 on the clampblock 22 toward or away from the end-frame l2.

The standard E includes two tubular posts 29 which have their footings in a pivot-element F provided for hinging said posts 29 to the bedplate 23. Said pivot-element F is desirably formed of sheet metal, the main or body portion of which comprises a back-plate 39. Along each side of said back-plate 30 at the upper portion thereof material of the pivot-element F is rolled forwardly of said back-plate to form socket 3|, the marginal extremity of said material being turned inwardly into parallelism with the back-plate 39 to form a flange 32 spaced from said back-plate. Each sleeve or socket 3| posts 29 for longitudinally slidable adjustment of the same in such sleeve. Clamp-bolts 33 extending through each of said flanges 32 and through the back-plate 30 serve to tighten their respective sleeves 3| about their respective posts 29 in selected positions of adjustment of said posts in said sleeves. Along each side of this back-plate 30 at its lower portion material of the pivot-element F is bent forwardly to provide a hingearm 34 which is pivoted at its forward extremity on a pivot pin 35 extending through such hingearm 34 and a lug 36 upstanding from the bedplate 23 of th mounting D. At the upper portion of the back-plate 30 of the pivot-element F, between the sleeves or sockets 3|, is a forwardly turned flange 31 to which the upper end of a helical tension spring 38 is attached through the intermediary of an eye-bolt 39, the shank 40 whereof extends upwardly and freely through an aperture 4| in said flange. A nut 42 threaded on said shank 4| of the eye-bolt 39 bears against the top of the flange 31 and provides for adjustably tensioning the spring 38 which is fastened at its lower end to the bed-plate 23 in a peculiar manner hereinafter to be described.

The lamp shade 2| is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the upper ends of the posts 29 and supports a lamp socket 43 which receives the electric lamp 20. An electric cord 44, leading from said socket 43, extends through one of the tubular posts 29 and to any convenient electrical outlet for the supply of current to said lamp 20.

Upon installation of the lamp structure on a bed as at A, the mounting D is first applied to the back-rest H) by clamping the clamp-block 22 to the end-rail l6 of said back-rest. The spring 38 acts to tilt or bias the standard E relative to the back-rest l0 headwards of the bed A and in the flatwise position of said back-rest I0, as seen in solid lines in Fig. 1 yieldingly holds said standard E against the frame-rail M of the end-frame l3. In said flatwise position of the back-rest ID, the standard E will be set to occupy an upright position substantially at right angles to said back-rest, this setting of said standard E being accomplished by adjustment of the bed-plate 23 headwards or footwards on the clamp-block 22 as may be required in the particular bed upon which the installation of the lamp structure is made. In said position of the standard E approximately at right angles to the back-rest l hereinafter referred to as the first position of said standard, the lamp 20 is positioned to the rear of the head of an cecupant lying prone on the bed, thereby shielding the occupants eyes from the direct rays of light from said lamp. Owing to the action of spring 38, the standard E is held in sliding engagement with the frame-rail M of the end-frame 13 as the back-rest I0 is raised from its fiatwise position. Thus, in the initial stage in the raising of said back-rest Ii), the standard E is prothereto headwards therethe lower ends of said posts engage the bed-plate 23 and ing the head-Wards tilting of the standard E relative to said back-rest Ii! according to the existing longitudinal adjustment of said posts 29 in said sleeves 3i. Biasing relative to. the backrest 50 from its first position to its said second raising of said back-rest from its fiatwise position, the standard shifts the comfort as his position changes.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the dotted-line position G of the back-rest it shows the same at the end of its initial stage in the raising thereof at which point the standard E has reached its second position fully biased headwards relative to the back-rest. This fully biased or sec ond position of the standard E relative to the back-rest I 0 normally remains unchanged during the further raising of said back-rest and also during the return lowering thereof into its said position G. Returning to said position G, the standard E re-engages the frame-rail l4 which serves, against the action of the spring 38, to tilt said standard from its said biased second position into its said first position approximately at right angles to the back-rest I 0, upon the'lowering of said back-rest from said position G thereof to its fiatwise position.

While the springs 33 acts at all times to tilt the standard E from its first position at approximately right angles to the back-rest H) into its at right angles, to. the back-rest, the spring This desirability medially formed with members 46 at either side of said slot which slope upwardly from a point substantially coincident with the axis of the pivot pins to a point removed headwards relative to said axis. A follower 47 consisting of an eye-member 41 slidably received in the slot and formed with wing-like shoes 41 underriding the lower faces of the track members 36 constitutes a slidable connection between the lower end of the spring 38 and the bed-plate 23, said end of said spring being hooked into. the eye-member 41 of said follower 4.7. Fig. 3 of the drawing shows the its normal position in the trackslot 45 removed headwards from the axis of the pivot-pins Said follower 4? remains in this normal position thereof in all positions of the standard E at and between its said first position substantially at right angles to the backrest It and its said second position biased head wards of said back-rest, the spring 38 in such positions of said standard acting yieldingly to hold it in said second position or, without un- 33 is slightly additionally tenbut thereupon the follower 47 is immediately pulled along the track members 45 to the footwards end of the slot 35 into substantial coincidence with the pivotal axis of the pivot element F. In this position of the follower 4-7, the tensioning of the spring 38 remains unchanged and its action in tending to tilt the standard is substantially neutralized. Thus, said standard E may be tilted through all of its various positions relative to the back-rest l0 foo-twards of said first position thereof as though no spring were present between the pivot element F and bed-plate 23. However, upon returning the standard E to its said first position approximately at right angles to the loam-rest H], the follower 41 will snapback into its normal position at the headwards end of the track-slot 45 again rendersaid,,to facilitate such return of said follower.

From the foregoing, itwill be readily comprehended that my invention fully satisfies the various objects and purposesherein. attributed to it and meets effectively the need for such a structure.v

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein described. may be made within the scope of whatis claimed without. departing from the spirit of 'my invention. I

travel along said track,

my invention, what I claim to protect by Letters Patent Having described as new and desire 1. A self-adjustable lamp structure for a hospital-type bed including an end frame at the head thereof having an elevated frame-rail and further including a tiltably adjustable back-rest having an end-rail at the head thereof and adapted to be raised from and lowered into flatwise position, said lamp structure comprising a mounting consisting of a bed-plate and means for securing the same to said end-rail, a pivot-element pivoted to the bed-plate, a standard mounted on said pivot-element, a track on the bed-plate extending from a point substantially coincident with the pivotal axis of said pivot-element to a point removed headwards of the bed-plate from said axis, said track sloping upward from said first point to said second point, a follower adapted to travel along said track, a tension spring attached at its upper end to said pivot-element and attached at its lower end to said follower, said spring acting to tilt said standard relative to said back-rest from a first position substantially at right angles to said back-rest to a second position biased headwards of said backrest, said standard being adapted intermediately thereof to bear slidably against said frame-rail and to be tilted by said frame-rail against the action of said spring progressively footwards toward its said first position upon the lowering of the back-rest, said standard being adapted to tilt progressively headwards under the action of said spring toward its said second position and under restraint of said frame-rail upon the raising of the back-rest, said standard being tiltable footwards from said first position thereof, said follower being adapted to travel footwards along said track from said point thereof removed headwards of the pivotal axis of said pivot-element to said point thereof substantially coincident with said axis upon the tilting of said standard footwards from said first position thereof, said follower being adapted to travel back to said point of said track removed from said axis upon the return tilting of said standard headwards to said first position thereof, and a lamp carried by said standard at the upper end thereof.

2. A self-adjustable lamp structure for a hospital-type bed including an head thereof having an elevated frame-rail and further including a tiltably adjustable back-rest having an end-rail at the head thereof and adapted to be raised from and lowered into flatwise position, said lamp structure comprising a mounting consisting of a bed-plate and means for securing the same to said end-rail, a pivotelement pivoted to the bed-plate, a standard mounted on said pivot-element, a track on the bed-plate extending from a point substantially coincident with the pivotal axis of said pivotelement to a point removed headwards of the bed-plate from said axis, a follower adapted to a tension spring attached at its upper end to said pivot-element and attached to its lower end to said follower, said spring acting to tilt said standard relative to said back-rest from a first position substantially at right angles to said back-rest to a second position biased headwards of said back-rest, said standard being adapted intermediately thereof to bear slidably against said frame-rail and to be tilted by said frame-rail against the action of said spring progressively footwards toward its said first position upon the lowering of the backend frame at the rest, said standard being adapted to tilt progressively headwards under the action of said spring toward its said second position under restraint of said frame-rail upon the raising of the backrest, said standard being tiltable footwards from said first position thereof, said follower being adapted to travel footwards along said track from said point thereof removed headwards of the pivotal axis of said pivot-element to said point thereof substantially coincident with said axis upon the tilting of said standard footwards from said first position thereof, said follower being adapted to travel back to said point of said track removed from said axis upon the return tilting of said standard headwards to said first position thereof, and a lamp carried by said standard at the upper end thereof.

3. A self-adjustable lamp structure for a hospital-type bed including an elevated head-piece and a tiltably adjustable back-rest having an end-rail at the head thereof and adapted to be raised from and lowered into flatwise position, said lamp structure compr sing a mounting adapted to be attached to said end-rail, an elongated support hinged at its lower end on said mounting and tiltable relative to the backrest between a first position substantially at right angles to said back-rest and a second position biased headwards of said back-rest, said support being adapted intermediately thereof to bear slidably against said head-piece and to be tilted by said head-piece progressively footwards toward its said first position upon the lowering of the back-rest, a tension spring attached at its upper end. to said support, a connection attaching the lower end of said spring to said mounting at a point removed headwards from the pivotal axis of said support, said spring tending to tilt the support from its said first position toward its said second position and progressively acting so to do under restraint of said head-piece upon the raising of said back-rest, said support being tiltable footwards from its said first position relative to the back-rest, said spring connection being slidable footwards on said mounting from said point removed headwards from the pivotal axis of said support to a point substantially coin cident with said axis upon the tilting of said support footwards from said first position, said connection being returnably slidable headwards back to said point removed from said axis upon the return tilting of said support headwards to said first position thereof, and a lamp carried by said support at the upper end thereof.

4. A self-adjustable lamp structure for a hospital-type bed including an elevated head-piece and a tiltably adjustable back-rest having an end-rail at the head thereof and adapted to be raised from and lowered into flatwise position, said lamp structure comprising a mounting adapted to be attached to said end-rail, an elongated support hinged at its lower end on said mounting and tiltable relative to the back-rest between a first position substantially at right angles to said back-rest and a second position biased headwards of said back-rest, said support being adapted intermediately thereof to bear slidably against said head-piece and to be tilted by said head-piece progressively footwards toward its said first position upon the lowering of the back-rest, a tension spring attached at one end to said support and at its other end to said mounting at a point removed headwards from the pivotal axis of said support, said spring tending to tilt the support toward its said second position and progressively acting so to do under restraint of said head-piece upon the raising of said back-rest, and a lamp carried by said support at the upper end thereof.

5. A self-adjustable lamp structure for attachment to a hospital-type bed including an endframe at the head thereof having an elevated frame-rail and further including a tiltably adjustable back-rest having an end-rail at the head thereof and adapted to be raised from and lowered into flatwise position, said lamp structure including a bed-plate, fastening means on the bed-plate adapted to secure the same to said end-rail, a pivot-element pivoted to the bedplate and having a body member offset headwards of the back-rest in relation to the pivotal axis of said element, a standard longitudinally adjustably mounted near its lower end on said body member of said pivot-element, said bedplate having a portion thereof underlying the lower end of said standard and constituting an abutment therefor, said standard being adapted, in the flatwise position of said back-rest, to occupy a first position bearing intermediately thereof against said frame-rail of the bed substantially at right angles to the back-rest, said standard being adapted, upon the raising of the back-rest, to slide upwardly therealong against the frame-rail and tilt progressively un der restraint of said frame-rail toward a second position relative to the back-rest biased headwards thereof, said standard being adapted to abut at its said lower end against said abutment portion of said bed-plate and limit the headwards biasing of the standard, thereby to establish said second position thereof, said standard being adapted, upon the lowering of the back-rest, to slide downwardly therealong against said frame-rail and to be tilted thereby progressively footwards from its said second position to its said first position, and a lamp carried by said standard at the upper end thereof.

6. A self-adjustable lamp structure for attachment to a hospital-type bed including an elevated head-piece and a tiltably adjustable back-rest adapted to be raised from and lowered into flatwise position, said lamp structure including a mounting adapted to be attached to the back-rest at the head thereof, an elongated support hinged at its lower end to said mounting, yielding support-tilting means carried solely by the lamp-structure and cooperating with said support and mounting to cause the support constantly to tend to tilt headwards of the backrest, said support being adapted, in the flatwise position of said back-rest, to occupy a first position bearing intermediately thereof against said head-piece of the bed. substantially at right angles to the back-rest, said support being adapted upon the raising of the back-rest, to slide upwardly therealong against the head-piece and tilt progressively headwards of the back-rest under restraint of said head-piece, said support being adapted, upon the lowering of the backrest, to slide downwardly therealong against said head-piece and to be tiltably returned thereby progressively footwards of said back-rest toward the said first position of said support, and a lamp carried by said support at the upper end thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,644,661 Aufenast Oct. 11, 1927 2,457,752 Travis Dec. 28, 1948 2,500,744 Beem Mar. 14, 1950 

